Writing in the Moscow Times, Mark Feygin reports about several reasons why Russian army is unhappy with the country’s leaders. It looks like maybe Frau Merkel should offer to send several top German officers to Moscow to take over army and airforce command reorganising and retraining Russian army from the top down.

He lists the following reasons: a) the Kremlin refused to hold the annual officers’ conference this year.
b) there has been an increase in criminal cases opened against top military officials on corruption charges.
c) the military reforms initiated by Defense Minister Serdyukov have been a serious blow to military leaders who have a financial interest in maintaining the status quo. (Didn't Putin know that ?)

The author concludes that "The potential for a military rebellion is greater now than it has been since the early 1990s." ( Where is marshal Zhukov with his white horse when the country needs him ?)

Although the conscript term was decreased to one year in 2008, conscripts are still treated as serfs by their superiors.

The Kremlin believes that the threat of a military coup in these conditions will increase significantly. The transition to a professional army in Russia will have to wait until the moment when the leaders are democratically elected. (that alone spells the end of Putin's re-election ambitions !)

Joey aka Rabinovich wrote: "..Dido has a great undeniable talent of linking anything posted about Russia to 1930s Europe, USSR and German relations.."

Just a while ago the same Joey was advocating Russia's right to be THE Successor to the Soviet past, its historic rights and its assets, but now Joey has decided to exclude, using Joey's terms, any "accidental liabilities" such as mass deportations and executions, the Stalin-Hitler alliance, and a few other "accidentals".

It demonstrates another example of Joey' ignorance in matters of keeping historic records unpolluted and apart from the steady flow of intense Moscow state propaganda that has been skillfully disseminated, peddled and re-fashioned as required for the past 70 years or more.

Having reached his cherished assignment as a corporal of the Russian Propaganda Brigade, poor corporal Joey has no option but to follow the 'party line' if he is to have any hope for promotion to the rank of the Putinoid Sergeant and be allowed to march in the Red Square October Revolution anniversary parade.

I note the Quadriga Prize is given to: ""personalities and projects whose thoughts and acts are built on values," according to its website. Recipients are "role models who are committed to enlightenment, commitment and welfare."

Yes, Putin certainly has "values" alright - the values of an autocrat who imprisons people who attempt to uphold an Article of the Russian Constitution guaranteeing freedom of assembly. If any commentator here believes brutally arresting peaceful pro-democracy protesters (including 82 year old former Soviet political prisoners) is a value to be awarded internationally, then Yes Putin is Your Man. So c'mon all you enemies of democracy and human rights, step up to the plate and insult Quadriga for not giving an award to Putin.

Think of how much effort Putin put into shutting down the free press in Russia so all Russians could get the exact same news on TV, think of all the time Putin spends trying to figure out some method to create phoney FSB-supported virtual political parties to have phoney pseudo-democratic elections next year in Russia where he wins.

All those who support the sword and shield of Russian Secret Police "values" like Putin and who adore the Lubyanka should be demanding the humanitarian and incorrupt Putin be awarded.

As the award stipulates, the recipient must be committed to enlightenment and welfare. Ah, yes, Putin the champion of freedom and the downtrodden. He has led Russia into what Medvedev calls the absolute "legal nihilism" of the Russian state now, but Medvedev the pussyfoot is too scared to point the finger where it belongs, at Putin. Medvedev has turned out to be a tremendous coward all along.

And the Germans helping with the Soviet, I mean, current Russian judicial system ? Please...good luck with that.. how is the judicial inquiry into Sergei Magnitsky going other than pinning the blame on the cogs and not the bosses.

The only award Putin deserves is runner-up to Europe's most ruthless dictator right after his neigbour Batko Lukashenka. Oh how lucky Russia must be to have no independent rule of law, democratic elections, political accountability, or protection before the judiciary. What bloody German genius suggested Putin's name in the first place ?

Now, I wait for the Putinoid brigade on the Economist Forum to come running to their vozhd's rescue.

Kuzmich's bait seemed to work, Dido just couldn't stay away from this topic, having (probably) ghost of Bandera standing by him and whispering into his ear to post about Stalin and Hitler.

Dido has a great undeniable talent of linking anything posted about Russia to 1930s Europe, USSR and German relations, to be specific.

Once again the drums of war are getting louder and louder day by day. Dido, I think it's time for you to start spreading "listovki" to warn about upcoming Russo-German invasion. Although it's a good idea to have 2 sets of uniforms for you, in case Germans will start losing and you will have to wear a Russian uniform once again. I hope you still have that poster of Stalin I sent to you last Christmas, it may come in handy, when Red Army advances. Fortunately, you know USSR anthem quiet well, so no worries there.

I appreciate your concerns about my safety as I am sure you will not, repeat NOT agree to testify against me in that hypothetical Hague trial.

But I thought that the risky part of my statement related to Frau Merkel daugters, that is if there are any. I know Putin is a married man but then there are ample precedents where marriages have been re-arranged for the sacred cause of the 'motherland'. Sure you are familiar with some historic precedents in Russia such as for example in the case of your glorious Catherine, Russia's Tsaritsa known as the Terrible ?

And the latest news about the divorce settlement of the well know Russian-Jewish-British capitalist (and Tymoshenko's friend and supporter) confirm that anything can be achieved at a price. For the sake of a new, long term Berlin-Moscow AXIS money should be no issue at all. I suspect the most talented Russian lawyers are already busy drafting and redrafting the terms of a new "Secret Protocol", including appropriate new maps defining 'Zones of Influence' in Europe and far beyond.

You never stop to amuse the Economist audience. I said it would be bait for you and you grabbed it. If it were not for you with your Molotov-Ribbentrop stuff, nobody would even think of it. I think you are the only one who raises this matter in every of your posts. Feels like you celebrate it all year round yourself. Just check Didomyk’s comments history.

My friend you are now risking to join Serbian Brigade in the Hague. You can be easily sued by Merkel since you compared her with Hitler. You write, “Just like back in 1939-41 Stalin was doing his very best to supply Hitler's Wermacht with Russian crude oil... now Merkel has been busy implementing her version of 'peaceful partnership' as long as Putin keeps the flow of oil...”. You continue, “...this is a 21st cent. version of the German "Drang nach Osten", a scheme originally conceived in Hitler's Berlin, now re-defined and re-programmed in Merkel's Berlin.” To draw a parallel between Hitler-Stalin and Putin-Merkel is just pure nonsense.
However, you have only to welcome "Drang nach Osten". It brings you good old memories of Bandera liberation army. Feels like back to the woods.

Regarding peat, it is a new secret weapon for "Drang nach Osten" plan. It’s a task for your DIDO watchdogs to investigate peat case.

I understand your anxiety waiting to commemorate the Stalin-Hitler pact but the anniversary date is about one month away. So don't be upset if for now we focus attention on the similarity of bilateral exchanges between Hitler and Stalin on the one hand and Merkel-Putin on the other hand. Just like back in 1939-41 Stalin was doing his very best to supply Hitler's Wermacht with Russian crude oil, iron ore, manganese, cotton, and some Ukrainian grain in exchange for Hitler's SS Panzers' with their "Europe for Peace", - now Merkel has been busy implementing her version of 'peaceful partnership' as long at Putin keeps the flow of oil, gas, nickel, manganese, aluminum and grains to keep German automotive, transport and machinery industry booming and German GDP growing.

It doesn't look like Medvedev with his peat bogs is in the same league but then, who knows, maybe that valuable Russian peat contains some precious metals or rare earth components that the Germans will be happy to recover to incorporate into their electronics destined to be sold to the Brits, Americans, Chinese and anyone else, including the Israelis.

For your info, my friend, this is a 21st cent. version of the German "Drang nach Osten", a scheme originally conceived in Hitler's Berlin, now re-defined and re-programmed in Merkel's Berlin. And by the way, all that makes Putin's chances to become Russia's Tsar for Life much better. I don't know if Merkel has any daughters but its not too late to add a romantic twist to this German-Russian affair. See if you can help !

Putin doesn't even know what sort of talent he is lacking in today's Russia. Somebody tell him to immediately appoint Joey aka Naive Rabinovich as Russia's Chief Economic Planner, Russia's Chief of Spece Explorations and Russia's Chief Representative to the EU, China and the South Pole. Once that is done Putin can relax and focus on running again for another ten years as President of Putinstan.

"But Russia will remain 30-40 years behind technological progress and management skills of leading Western countries." ----- Which puts Ukraina behind of leading Western countries like 60-80 years or so? You must have been reading local newspapers in Banderostan and just missed the launch of Russia's version of Hubble telescope. Now Russians will have capabilities to monitor Dido's activities from space. Yes, Russia is so technologically behind that will remain the only country that could serve International Space Stations for a while, until Ukraine will develop its own first spacecraft - Het'man V. Until then, poor US astronauts will have to pay these left behind Russians to get a ride to the ISS.

On the other note, I think Russo-German relations are becoming stronger, which will benefit these two countries (disclosure - it will not benefit Ukraina). Europe wants to have a strong Russia, as a buffer zone against China. Russia and Europe have been conducting business for centuries, China, on contrary, is different type of animal. So I expcet to see great things from this relationship, of course, that's not in Dido's interests, but who cares about him, right? I know Putin doesn't.

The author says: "The two leaders added content to a “modernisation partnership”, including new efforts to reform Russia’s judicial system."

Its obvious who needs modernisation in more ways than one. The Germans have been trying to help 'modernise' Russia for the past 20 years or more, since before reunification - both economically and politically, but with very limited results. The Russians just can't duplicate German work habits, engineering skills, training system, enterpreneurship, etc. As long as Putin and his former KGB comrades remain in control of the Russian economy while Russia's judiciary remains subservient to Putin's "United Russia", chances of any progress remain slim at best.

Of course, Russia will persuade or bribe some German or other western firms to help them build another pipeline, or to drill some Arctic wells, or build another LNG terminal, or teach them how to operate French designed helicopter carriers, or assemble Italian designed cars, or Japanese designed motorcycles. But Russia will remain 30-40 years behind technological progress and management skills of leading Western countries. At the same time Putin's dreams of establishing and successfully operating a Russian-dominated regional trading block is just another piece of evidence of living in the past. Too bad the author omitted any comments on that specific subject.

The gap remains big indeed in terms of Russian industry's progress in understanding and adopting the World Trade Organisation's systems, procedures and having Russian management adapt their methods of operation to the systems prevailing in the world. Blackmailing and threatening business partners, customers and suppliers, manipulating prices, failing to meet contractual commitments, etc are some examples of habits Russian leaders and Russian 'businessmeny' (as they call themselves these days) must abandon if modernisation is indeed to take roots.

It seems that the historical targets of The Economist - Russia and China - are doing rather well economically and with their international relations. It seems like the US and UK are getting squeezed out of these growing alliances. Whist the UK is inept and impotent, the US remains antagonistic. I wonder if they will both lose out.

How can it be that Medvedev is “a more congenial partner than Putin”, when TE has been feeding us pages of material and discussions about Putin being indisputably in charge of Russia and Medvedev merely his puppet? Now, readers are puzzled, when did this transformation occur?

You write: "It has been a while since Russia invaded Georgia".
Yes, but as the EU report showed, Georgia started the war. Quoting the Economist from Oct 1st 2009http://www.economist.com/node/14560958
At that time you cited from the report:
“open hostilities began with a large-scale Georgian military operation against the town of Tskhinvali …in the night of August 7th to August 8th.”
I know this issue is complicated and there are many sides to the conflict. Therefore I think it's a pity that you give such an oversimplified account of it.